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Obama Administration Transparency Getting Worse

Posted by samzenpus on from the nothing-to-see-here dept.

schwit1 writes "The government's own figures from 99 federal agencies covering six years show that halfway through its second term, the administration has made few meaningful improvements in the way it releases records. In category after category — except for reducing numbers of old requests and a slight increase in how often it waived copying fees — the government's efforts to be more open about its activities last year were their worst since President Barack Obama took office."

14 of 152 comments (clear)

  1. Most Transparent Ever! by prisoner-of-enigma · · Score: 5, Insightful

    “This is the most transparent administration in history,” -- Barack Obama, February 2013

    "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." -- Napoleon, Animal Farm, by George Orwell

    --
    In the end they will lay their freedom at our feet and say to us, Make us your slaves, but feed us. - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
    1. Re:Most Transparent Ever! by DigitAl56K · · Score: 3, Insightful

      “This is the most transparent administration in history,” -- Barack Obama, February 2013

      He must have been speaking about how obvious their stance with regarding releasing information was.

      But to make a counter-point, much as I loathe to do so, it's also possible with all the NSA/Snowden stories that they have faced more requests for documents that are classified than typical. It would be nice to see the chart from TFA displayed as a 100% breakdown rather than a stacked breakdown.

    2. Re:Most Transparent Ever! by funwithBSD · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Transparent as in we can see right through this bullshit.

      --
      Never answer an anonymous letter. - Yogi Berra
    3. Re:Most Transparent Ever! by SuricouRaven · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Pretty much. Obama ran on the platform of 'change.' He isn't bringing it. The only reason his supporters continued to support him last election was because a democrat not advancing their agenda would still be better than a republican openly fighting against it.

    4. Re:Most Transparent Ever! by DarkOx · · Score: 5, Insightful

      He has broken the law plenty too, but the House won't try impeachment because they know the Senate majority does not care the law has been broken they are going to protect their guy.

      The GOP learned its lesson the last time around, its not politically useful to impeach a president unless you have a Senate willing to follow through with a conviction and removal from office.

      As far as anyone else doing anything about it, the SCOTUS will find some weasel wordy way to conclude they haven't got standing.

      --
      Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
    5. Re:Most Transparent Ever! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Seriously? Republican or Democrat, Liberal or whatever.. it makes no difference.

      http://www.ted.com/talks/lawrence_lessig_we_the_people_and_the_republic_we_must_reclaim

    6. Re:Most Transparent Ever! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You have forgotten the Democrat Catechism

      "Everything Is Bush's Fault, Now, and Forever. Amen"

      Now go say 3 "Our Obamas" and 4 "Hail Hillarys"

    7. Re:Most Transparent Ever! by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's amazing you have to prove you are actually harmed by NSA spying to get standing, when our core concept in creating a government is the assumption government is up to no good and will abuse power.

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      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  2. Re:"halfway through its second term" ? by bobbied · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Unless someone is planning to pull a Kennedy on him, he's got 34 months to go...

    Oh please NO! I don't want to get Biden as president with all the sympathy of having to take over under those circumstances. Not on your life.

    I'll keep the guy I know over dementia prone Biden who would be wheels off nuts. Obama will be totally emasculated by the end of this year when his party looses the Senate. Let him spend his last two years in office planning for his presidential library. If we are ever going to fix this, he has to stay in office and be marginalized as much as possible.

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    "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
  3. Re:"halfway through its second term" ? by JDAustin · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You really think Obama is going to act like other former presidents and leave DC for Chicago or Hawaii? His ego would never allow for it. He will stay in DC and be a thorn in the side of whoever the next president is (Dem or Rep).

    As to Biden....tell me again why Palin was so bad compared to Biden again?

  4. Re:I appreciate that. by Feyshtey · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How about if we start by acknowledging that there was never supposed to be a "ruling class" and elminating that philosophy from our culture.

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    "But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it,..." - Nancy Pelosi
  5. Re:"halfway through its second term" ? by SuricouRaven · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Because Palin was a soundbite politician. She had an open distaste for carefully considering all sides of an issue, favoring the use of quick slogans ('Drill Baby Drill') to win over the unthinking. It's always hard to tell a politicians image from reality - behind closed doors she could have been a genius in all things - but the image she carefully projected was of the quick-thinking renegade who didn't have the time to actually read any reports or listen to advisers, but instead promised she could run a country on gut instinct and American luck.

  6. Re:Most Transparent Ever! You Right wingers! by Bodhammer · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Is anything critical of this administration right wing or are they so wonderful in their totality that they are like pony, butterfly farts? Anytime something is posted that is published you proglocrats look like a bunch shambling, drooling zombies. Wake up, you got snookered, get over it and open your eyes. This guy is the worst president every and you fucks need to own it and fix it...

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    "I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
  7. Re:"halfway through its second term" ? by Quila · · Score: 5, Insightful

    favoring the use of quick slogans ('Drill Baby Drill') to win over the unthinking

    "Yes we can," "Change we can believe in," "Common sense gun laws," "Most transparent administration"